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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7.16.2025 Minutes VILLAGEOFCAYUGA HEIGHT July 16th 2025 ZoomID# 4118425407 BOARDOF TRUSTEES 7:00p.m. MONTHLYMEETING Present:MayorWoodard;Trustees:Biloski, Conway,Hubbell, Rennekamp, Robinson,Fire Superintendent Tamborelle, Police Chief Wright, Assistant Superintendent of Public Works Cowder; Village Attorney Shah; Village Clerk Walker. Absent:Trustee Salton, Superintendent of Public Works Cross1. CalltoOrder:MayorWoodardcallsthemeetingtoorderat6:58p.m.2a. Approvalof theJune 18, 2025 Board MeetingMinutes(Exhibit2026-043) Resolution:9871 BEITRESOLVEDTHAT:theVillageofCayugaHeightsBoardofTrusteesapprovesthe June 18, 2025, Board Meeting Minutes as presented. Motion:TrusteeBiloski Second:TrusteeConway Ayes: Mayor Woodard;Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Rennekamp, and Robinson Nays: none Abstentions:none MotionCarried3. ReportofFireSuperintendentTamborelle:SubmittedReport(Exhibit2026-044) •FireSuperintendentTamborelle states that Clerk Walker and I received only one bid for the bunker kitchen project on July 1, 2025. That bid was from Marchuska Brothers in the amount of $265,785.00, which is over budget. •FireSuperintendentTamborelle states that he reached out to them to see where they came up with that number. Today, he received a modified bid, but that was still way over budget. The next step is to re-release a new RFP and see if there are more contractors interested. •FireSuperintendentTamborelle states that summer movie night is going well. •Trustee Conway states that he understands the same company is putting in a different bid cost, but what has Fire Superintendent Tamborelle changed about the RFP to change the costs? •FireSuperintendentTamborelle states that he has changed the type of cabinet to a less expensive one, which has helped. •FireSuperintendentTamborelle states that the timing of when the project needs to be done should open up a few more contractors to submit a bid.4. PrivilegeoftheFloor:No members of the Public wish to speak.5. ReportofTreasurerDolch:SubmittedReport(Exhibit2026-045) •Treasurer Dolch states that the June month-end reconciliations are not finished yet. She will have them ready for review as soon as possible. Approval of Abstract 2:  Resolution:9872   BE IT RESOLVEDTHAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees authorizes and approves Abstract #2for FYE2026, consisting ofTA vouchers 4-11 in the amount of $16,529.31 and Consolidated Fund vouchers 37-113for $353,533.26, and the Treasurer is instructed to make payments thereon.  Motion:TrusteeRennekamp Second:TrusteeHubbell Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Rennekamp, and Robinson Nays: none Abstentions: none MotionCarried6. ReportofMayorWoodard:a. Property Maintenance Enforcement Update:•Mayor Woodard states that we have issued thirteen notices of violation this week. •Mayor Woodard states that we are having a difficult time understanding who owns the property located at 2233 North Triphammer Rd. It was left to an individual who now may not want the property since there is still a mortgage on it.•Village Attorney Shah states that he cannot comment on this subject due to a conflict of interest.•Mayor Woodard reads a letter from the attorney of Ray Schlather stating that the estate does not have any responsibility for the property located at 2233 North Triphammer Rd. Any property issues fall on the current owner.•Trustee Robinson states that he would like to know if someone wills you something, are you obligated to accept it?•Village Attorney Shah states that in order for a "gift" to take effect, someone has to accept it. •Trustee Robinson states that he would like to move forward with issuing a fine for this property and seek legal assistance on whom we should go after for these violations.•Trustee Robinson states that he would like Clerk Walker to reach out to the County to see who is on the deed.•Clerk Walker states that he knows the Gates Estate is the one whosename is on the tax roll.•Mayor Woodard states that, in general, the law is working, but we might think about tightening things up later in the fall. b. Ranci Golf Club Update: •Mayor Woodard states that they were in violation at one point. The issue was logging activity and the placement of logs too close to the road. •Clerk Walker states that the owner of the golf club stoppedin the building just before the meeting to provide an update. The logs have been moving off the property daily. c. Meeting with the Town and Village of Lansing: •Mayor Woodard states that the discussion was about the possibility of helping purchase the vacant land next to the Village WWTP. If we purchase the property, we will have the option to expand the plant. The discussion was geared towards the actual value of the property. •Trustee Hubbell states that maybe Cornell University and Lake Source Cooling might be interested in purchasing some of the land. •Mayor Woodard states that both the Town and Village of Lansing are interested in looking into more details about this purchase. 7. Report of the Trustees:a. Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization: •Trustee Hubbell states that Wells College has transferred their drinking water system to the Village of Aurora. b. Village Public Works Committee: •Trustee Robinson states that the Cayuga Heights Road Sidewalk Project preliminary design has been submitted to NYSDOT. Hunt Engineers is responding to questions they might have. •Trustee Robinson states that T.G. Miller has been working on the easement maps for this project. They seem to be behind, which is putting us behind on getting signatures for those easements. •Trustee Robinson states thatthe Renwick Brook Culvert Pipe Project. We are waiting for the results from the boring. If there is enough bedrock, then we can just let the water flow onto the bedrock. •Assistant Superintendent of Public Works Cowder states that T.G. Miller just sent him three preliminary design options based on the Geotech study. •Trustee Robinson states that we now have a crosswalk at Texas and Spruce Lane. We have been talking about this in the Public Works Committee for several years. TCAT will move the current bus stop on Spruce Lane to the other side of the road. •Trustee Robinson states that the next step discussed is to put in flashing light signs at this and possibly the Kendal Crossing. •Mayor Woodard states that she needs to reach out to Kendal and let them know about our plans. There might be a possibility of some financial contributions from Kendal if we enhance that crosswalk. •Trustee Robinson states that there is a third crosswalk and TCAT bus stop between Kendal Barn and Texas Lane, which TCAT has agreed to eliminate. •Trustee Hubbell states that he has talked with two residents who would like to see the Village put in a crosswalk at the intersection of Triphammer and East Upland so those walking up to do food scraps have a safe place to cross. c. Village Wastewater Committee:•Trustee Robinson states that the rooftop solar installation project is complete. We are waiting for NYSEG to connect us to the grid.•Trustee Robinson states that the rail system is scheduled to be completed in the third week of August. c. Village HR Committee:•Trustee Biloski states thatthey have worked on language changes to employee job descriptions as well as standardizing hiring procedures.•Trustee Biloski states thatshe has reached out to the County for more advice.•Trustee Biloski states that the committee discussed changes to the Employee Handbook for sections that define part-time and full-time positions.d. Village Public Safety Committee: •Trustee Biloski states that the police department has long gun training this month. •Trustee Biloski states that the new patrol car will be picked up on Monday. •Trustee Biloski states that the meeting date for this committee was moved to the second Thursday of each month to accommodate Fire Superintendent Tamborelle, which is working well.d. Village Finance Committee Updates:•Trustee Rennekamp states that we did not have a meeting this month since Treasurer Dolch is busy working on closing the year and the Village's AUD. 8. Report of Superintendent of Public Works Cross: •B. Cross was absent from tonight's meeting. 9. ReportofPolice Chief Wright:SubmittedReport(Exhibit 2026-046)•Chief Wright states that the new patrol vehicle is scheduled to be picked up on Monday, July 21, 2025.•Chief Wright states that the department conducted two commercial motor vehicle traffic details this week, which were grant-funded. One detail was in the evening, which surprised some commercial drivers.•Trustee Biloski asks Chief Wright why there was a firetruckandCornell Police set up on Jessup Drive the other day. •Chief Wright states that there was a call over near East Hill that prompted that field to be used as a helicopter landing zone.10. ReportofAssistant Superintendent of Public Works Cowder:SubmittedReport(Exhibit2026-047)•Assistant Superintendent of Public Works Cowder states that hewas the number one on the civil service exam, thus creating his permanent placement as Assistant Superintendent of Public Works. •Assistant Superintendent of Public Works Cowder summarizes his submitted report as presented in Exhibit 2026-047. •Mayor Woodard updates the Board that the lead replacement percentage has changed from three percent to seven percent. •Assistant Superintendent of Public Works Cowder states that paving preparation is underway. 11. ReportofClerkWalker: •Clerk Walker states that to date, we have collected over $3,498,300.52, with around $130,000 outstanding. •Clerk Walker states that the design committee met for the Greater Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium last week. They are rebranding the name and have put out a new website. •Clerk Walker states thatthe Village Healthcare premium will likely be a double-digit (12%) increase in January 2026. Key factors are the large claims over one million dollars. There are 8300 covered lives, and one percent of those claims account for thirty percent of the total budget. •Clerk Walker states that the final stage of our conversion to .gov has been completed. •Mayor Woodard states that we will need an executive session, but before that, we need to have a resolution to declare the 2020 Dodge Durango as surplus and send it to auction. Resolution:9873   BE IT RESOLVEDTHAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees authorizes and approves declaring the 2020 Dodge Durango VIN # 1C4SDJFT2LC368395 as surplus and further authorizes the sale of this vehicle at auction as the next available event through Teitsworth Auctions. Motion:TrusteeRobinson Second:TrusteeHubbell Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Rennekamp, and Robinson Nays: none Abstentions: none MotionCarried12. ReportofAttorneyO. Shah:No report at this time.13. Executive Session: Resolution: 9874 WHEREAS: The NYS Open Meeting Law §105 prescribes matters for which a public body may conduct anexecutivesession;and, WHEREAS: Upon a majority vote of its total membership, taken in an open meeting under a motionidentifyingthe generalareaorareas ofthesubjectorsubjectstobe considered;and, WHEREAS: The conduct of an executive session for these enumerated purposes only, provided, however, that noactionbyformalvoteshallbe takento appropriatepublicmoney: THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT An Executive Session of the Village of Cayuga Heights Board ofTrustees is conducted for subsection (F) the medical, financial, credit, or employment history of a particular person or corporation, or matters leading to the appointment, employment, prometon, demotion, disciple, suspension, dismissal or removal of a particular person or corporation. Motion:TrusteeConway Second:TrusteeRobinson Ayes:MayorWoodard; Trustees:Biloski, Conway, Hubbell,Rennekamp, and Robinson Nays: none Abstentions:none MotionCarried Resolution: 987 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: The Board of Trustees authorizes and approves the existing executive session and returns to an open meeting. Motion:TrusteeRobinson Second:TrusteeRennekamp Ayes:MayorWoodard; Trustees:Biloski, Conway, Hubbell,Rennekamp, and Robinson Nays: none Abstentions:none MotionCarried Resolution: 9876 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: The Board of Trustees authorizes and approves appropriation of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2500) to the NYMIR Insurance Company in connection with some pending litigation to be paid from the A1910.410 fund. Motion:TrusteeRobinson Second:TrusteeRennekamp Ayes:MayorWoodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell,Rennekamp, and Robinson Nays: none Abstentions:none MotionCarried 14.Adjournment:MayorWoodardadjournsthemeetingat9:02p.m.